Spice & Wolf ~Versión Española~: V03 Cap 03

Esta traducción ha sido realizada a partir de la versión inglesa de esta misma página (enlace) realizada por Judgment26.

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Empezado por Clead DE. HeavenHell 13:15 11/09/08

Traducción al 19%.

Capítulo 03

Desde temprano por la mañana, las calles de Kumerson estaban llenas de vitalidad.

Mientras pasaba a través de la calle larga, que conectaba el norte con el sur, y encaminandose hacia la filial de la compañía al este, Lawrence pudo ver como alguien estaba poniendo carteles que parecían como pequeñas guías de la ciudad por todos lados.

Lawrence echó un rápido vistazo a los carteles según corría junto al chico. Descubrió que éstos parecían en verdad guías de la ciudad, aunque no podía comprender del todo lo que estaba escrito en ellos. En los carteles había escritas palabras de lenguajes que no había visto antes. Y algunos incluso tenían flores frescas, hojas de nabo y pasto atadas a ellos para decorarlos.

Estos carteles eran probablemente para usarlos en el festival Lazura que comenzaría ese mismo día. Lástima que Lawrence no tuviera en ese momento ni el tiempo libre ni el humor para averiguar el motivo.

Quizás porque el muchacho siempre hacía recados para Mark de ir venir, su velocidad era muy alta, y no mostraba signos de estar quedándose sin aliento. Incluso Lawrence, que tenía considerable confianza en su fuerza física, sólo era capaz de conseguir seguirle. Justo cuando Lawrence estaba a punto de quedarse sin fuerzas, ambos llegaron finalmente a la filial de la compañía.

La gruesa puerta de madera de la filial, que normalmente tenía un aire elitista y estaba por regla firmemente cerrada, estaba ahora generosamente abierta. Aproximadamente 3 mercaderes estaban ya bebiendo en la entrada tan de buena mañana.

Los 3 estaban al principio de cara al interior del edificio charlando felizmente, pero tan pronto vieron que Lawrence había llegado, le saludaron y al mismo tiempo avisaron gritando fuertemente a los que había dentro:

"Eeey, el caballero del que tanto he oído hablar, Hashim ha llegado."

Escuchándoles referírsele como el caballero Hashim, Lawrence se convenció totalmente de que lo que el muchacho le había dicho no era ni una mentira ni una broma.

Existía un cuento que circulaba sobre tierras cálidas rodeadas por el mar y viñedos - una famosa historia de amor de la región de Arius.

Y el caballero de la corte, Hundel La Hashim era el protagonista de este cuento.

Aunque, Lawrence no estaba para nada encantado con que le llamaran como a un caballero.

El caballero Hashim había peleado valientemente por su verdadero amor, la noble Elisa, y aceptó un duelo con el hijo del rey, Phillip III, siendo Elisa el premio. Pero finalmente sufrió una trágico muerte.

Lawrence subió velozmente por las escaleras de piedra, apartó a los alegres comerciantes y corrió dentro del edificio.

Todas las miradas estaban dirigidas hacia Lawrence como lanzas dirigidas a un criminal condenado a muerte por desmembramiento.

En la parte más profunda de la filial, en otras palabras, en frente de la barra del bar en la que el dueño de la firma estaba situado... permanecía en pie el hijo del rey, Phillip III.

"¡Por todo lo dicho vuelvo a declarar!"

La aguda y sonora voz de jovenzuelo resonó en el salón de la filial.

La voz provenía de Amati, que no estaba vestido en la grasienta capa de cuero típica de los comerciantes de pescado sino con una túnica requerida para ocasiones formales, viéndose más como el hijo de un aristócrata.

La mirada de Amati se dirigía directamente a Lawrence. Todos los comerciantes en la sala contuvieron la respiración en silencio mientras observaban a Amati.

En ese momento, Amati elevó una espada corta y una hoja de piel de cordero y declaró:

"Yo pagaré la deuda que recae sobre esos pequeños hombros de la monja peregrina. Cuando la bella diosa recupere su libertad, juro por San Lambardos, quien protege la Asociación de Comercio de Rowen desde los cielos, que voluntariamente dedicaré solemnemente mi sincero amor por la monja peregrina Horo."

El sonido de risotadas mezcladas con exclamaciones y silbidos, resonó llenando con una increíble y apasionada energía el gran salón.

Amati completamente dejó de lado el ruido. Lentamente bajó su mano y, girando la espada corta en su mano derecha 180º, la sujetó por la empuñadura y se la pasó a Lawrence. Mientras hacía esto, habló:

"La señorita Horo ya me ha informado de su desgracia, al igual que el trato que se le ha dado. Tengo intención de usar mi nombre y mi fortuna como hombre libre por ayudarla a recuperar sus alas de libertad, y proponerle matrimonio."

Las palabras que Mark le había dicho a Lawrence el día anterior volvieron claramente a su mente.

Un tipo de la edad de Amati, tan pronto se obsesiona con algo, hará absolutamente cualquier cosa por conseguirlo.

Lawrence estaba bastante molesto mientras miraba, primero hacia la empuñadura que Amati le estaba ofreciendo y después al papel de piel de cordero.

Ya que todavía había cierta distancia entre Lawrence y Amati, Lawrence no podía ver con claridad los contenidos escritos en el papel, pero imaginó que probablemente era un escrito formal detallando lo que Lawrence había declarado hace un momento. La marca roja en la esquina inferior derecha del papel era casi seguro un sello de sangre, en vez de uno de cera.

En zonas que no tenían un notario público, o cuando deseabas un contrato de mayor valor que un certificado de notario público, la gente utilizaba la ley del contrato. Esta tan llamada "ley del contrato" implicaba que aquel cuyo sello en sangre estuviera en el contrato tenía que pasar una espada corta al otro grupo, en este caso Lawrence, y entonces jurar en el nombre de Dios.

Si fueras incapaz de realizar lo estipulado en el contrato, la persona que marco el sello en sangre tenía o que matar al otro grupo con la espada corta, o dirigirla hacia su propia garganta.

En el momento que Lawrence aceptara la espada corta de Amati, el contrato estaría formalmente acordado.

Por supuesto, Lawrence no realizó ninguna acción, porque no había esperado que la situación alcanzara tales niveles.

"Sr. Lawrence."

Amati mantenía una mirada penetrante, como si sus palabras vinieran de sus ojos.

Lawrence notó que no podría escapar de Amati con una lamentable excusa ni ignorándole simplemente.

En su angustia, Lawrence dijo palabras que le ayudarían a ganar tiempo:

"La deuda de Horo para mi es un hecho, y también es verdad que le he pedido que me pague la deuda mediante rezos por la seguridad de mis viajes. Pero, eso no significa que si su deuda es eliminada, no desearía seguir siendo mi compañera de viaje por más tiempo."

"Tienes toda la razón. Aunque, estoy seguro de que dejará de ser tu compañera de viaje por quedarse conmigo," respondió Amati.

"Oh~!" Una pequeña ola de ovaciones resonó nuevamente en el gran salón.

Y es que hasta si Amati no parecía estar borracho, su apariencia en ese momento era muy parecida a la de Phillip III.

".....Además, aunque no sea devota 100%, Horo aún es una monja en peregrinación. Casars-"

"Si crees que no conozco las reglas en lo que concierne a tal situación, entonces te preocupas demasiado, porque estoy al tanto de que la señorita Horo no pertenece a ningún convento," le devolvió Amati.

Lawrence podía dejar su boca bien cerrada para evitar que la palabra "Joder" escapara de su boca.

Había 2 tipos de monjas peregrinas. El primer grupo consistía de monjas que pertenecían a sitios como conventos que no estuvieran oficialmente reconocidos por la Iglesia. El segundo grupo consistía de auto-proclamadas monjas peregrinas que no pertenecían a ningún convento al fin y al cabo.

La mayoría de las monjas peregrinas pertenecían a este último grupo de auto-proclamadas monjas, y se nombraban a sí mismas como tales por las facilidades para el viaje. Por supuesto, ya que no pertenecían a ningún convento, naturalmente no estaban sujetas a la restricción de matrimonio impuesta a los miembros del clero.

Amati sabía que Horo era una auto-proclamada monja. Y por eso, ya no serviría encontrar un convento ahora y tener acordada una mentira para engañarle.

Amati continuó hablando con un ritmo constante:

"Para ser honesto, no es mi deseo imponerle el contrato a usted, Sr. Lawrence, de esta manera. Seguramente todos los presentes me ven como a Phillip III del cuento del caballero Hashim. Sin embargo, de acuerdo a las leyes de la ciudad de Kumerson, cuando una mujer está en deuda, su guardián es el que posee el derecho de acreditarla. Por supuesto-" (NdT: en principio acreditar es decir que la representa)

Amati se detuvo un segundo aquí. Entonces se aclaró la garganta una vez y continuó:

"Si tú Sr. Lawrence, como el guardián de Horo, aceptaras incondicionalmente mi propuesta de matrimonio, entonces no habría ninguna necesidad de utilizar tal contrato."

Semejantes novelas tan raramente vistas, que involucraban a 2 hombres compitiendo por 1 mujer era el mejor tema de conversación en los grandes banquetes.

Los comerciantes susurraban e intentaban ocultar sus carcajadas mientras continuaban viendo como se desarrollaba la situación.

Cualquier comerciante con experiencia estaba seguro de que la relación entre Horo y Lawrence no era como Amati la había descrito. Quizás sería más apropiado decir que aquellos que en verdad creían que era sólo por pagar su deuda por lo que la monja peregrina estaba viajando por la seguridad en los viajes del vendedor ambulante eran los comerciantes más nuevos. Una persona normal pensaría de forma natural que la monja permanecía con el comerciante para así no ser vendida para pagar su deuda. O, que ella permanecía con el por su propia voluntad.

Por supuesto, Amati probablemente habría considerado tales posibilidades también, pero lo más probable es que pensara que era la primera opción.

Para liberar a la desamparada, desgraciada y bella monja de las cadenas que la atan a su deuda; seguramente era gracias a a esta razón tan justa y honorable que Amati era capaz de ignorar la mirada del público y realizar una acción tan atrevida.

Incluso si Amati no pensara de esta forma, la situación actual convertía a Lawrence en el malhechor.

"Sr. Lawrence, ¿estás dispuesto a aceptar la espada corta que sella el contrato?" preguntó Amati.

Los comerciantes que estaban muy atentos abrieron sus bocas sonriendo en silencio, expectantes.

El vendedor ambulante que había traído a una preciosa chica consigo parecía como si estuviera a punto de perder a la chica por el joven comerciante de pescado por no haber estado correctamente en guardia.

Un espectáculo tan entretenido como este era algo que definitivamente no se vería todos los días.

Y sin importar la excusa que Lawrence diera para rechazar el contrato, sólo le haría verse peor.

Por lo que, la única opción de Lawrence era proceder noblemente para así igualarse a Amati.

Además, Lawrence confiaba en que Horo definitivamente no dejaría de viajar con él simplemente porque Amati la ayudara a eliminar su deuda, por lo que no había nada de que preocuparse.

"No soy tan despreocupado como para firmar un contrato sin siquiera haberlo leído," dijo Lawrence.

Amati afirmó con la cabeza, retiró la espada corta, y le pasó a Lawrence el contrato en piel de cordero.

Bajo las miradas de todos en la habitación, Lawrence tranquilamente se acercó a Amati y recogió el contrato para examinarlo.

Estaba seguro de que el contenido inscrito en el contrato no difería mucho de lo que Amati acababa de decir; sólo estaba expresado en un lenguaje más difícil.

En los contenidos del contrato, la parte en la Lawrence estaba más interesado era la suma que Amati tenía que pagar.

¿Cuánto dijo Horo que debía?

Juzgando por el grado de confianza con el que Amati había hecho su declaración, quizás era una suma muy pequeña.

Entonces, Lawrence encontró la suma escrita en una de las líneas.

Por un momento, Lawrence pensó que debía estar viendo visiones.

1000 monedas de plata de Trenni.

Lawrence sintió una segura sensación de tranquilidad expandirse por su cuerpo.

"¿Estás seguro de que el contenido del contrato no tiene error alguno?" preguntó.

Lawrence volvió a leer el contrato desde el principio, y se aseguró de que no hubieran puntos que pudieran servir de trampas. Naturalmente, Lawrence también intentó encontrar puntos que no fueran trampas y que le pudieran servir para su propia ventaja.

Pero, el inflexible y enrevesado documento estaba diseñado específicamente para evitar proveer a Lawrence con semejante oportunidad y prevenir cualquier posibilidad de ganar al grupo que lo proponía.

Viendo a Amati afirmar con la cabeza en respuesta, Lawrence sólo pudo responderle de la misma forma.

"Comprendo."

Habiendo dicho esto, Lawrence le devolvió el contrato a Amati, y le indicó sus intenciones con la mirada.

Amati nuevamente le ofreció la empuñadura de la espada corta a Lawrence.

Lawrence alargó su mano hacia la empuñadura, en ese preciso instante, el contrato fue formalmente aceptado.

Cada comerciante presente servía como testigo del contrato. Y aún más importante, el contrato de la espada fue jurado en el nombre del santo patrón de la asociación, San Lambardos.

Todos los comerciantes se animaron e hicieron sonar sus jarras entre ellos, como sintiendo ellos mismos el desenlace de este entretenido espectáculo.

Dentro de la jauría, ambas partes del contrato se miraban el uno al otro en silencio antes de dejar el contrato y la espada corta en manos del aparentemente cansado dueño de la filial.

"Este contrato es efectivo hasta el último día del festival, en otras palabras, mañana cuando se ponga el sol. ¿Es correcto?"

Lawrence afirmó con la cabeza en respuesta a la pregunta de Amati, y añadió a propósito: "Por favor paga las 1000 monedas de plata de Trenni en efectivo. De ninguna manera aceptaré ni tratos ni pagos fraccionados."

Incluso si Amati fuera un comerciante de pescado capaz de transportar simultáneamente 3 carros cargados de pescado fresco, era imposible que pudiera poseer los recursos financieros para conseguir 1000 monedas de plata de Trenni fácilmente. Si fuera un mercader con tal poder financiero, Lawrence sin ninguna duda habría oído hablar de él desde hacia tiempo.

Por supuesto, Lawrence no dudaba que Amati fuera capaz de realizar negocios cuyos beneficios ascendieran a 1000 monedas de plata de Trenni.

Aunque, por decirlo objetivamente, lo que estaba haciendo Amati era lo mismo que comprar a Horo con 1000 monedas de plata. Siempre y cuando Lawrence no tuviera intención de vender, las 1000 monedas de plata pasarían simplemente del bolsillo de Amati al suyo.

Si Amati fuera realmente a hacer algo así, le faltarían los fondos necesarios para comprar pescado al día siguiente. Incluso si Horo fuera en verdad a aceptar la propuesta de matrimonio de Amati, seguramente lo que les esperaba a ambos sería unos tiempos difíciles. Aunque cualquier poeta diga que el dinero no puede comprar el amor, lo inverso también era cierto.

"Entonces, Sr. Lawrence, encontrémonos aquí de nuevo mañana."

Aún así, la cara de Amati aún mostraba una emoción inapagable. Nadie le llamo mientras salía de la filial con grandes zancadas y la cabeza bien alta. Las miradas de todos se volvieron a centrar en Lawrence.

Si no dijera nada en ese momento, todos le tomarían por un inútil vendedor ambulante que hubiera caído en la trampa de Amati.

Lawrence estiró su cuello, y dijo con total confianza:

"Estoy seguro que mi compañera no se irá con el por algo tan simple como es pagar una deuda en su lugar."

Una oleada de vítores se elevó desde todas partes, como diciendo, "Bien dicho", y poco después, frases como "¡Doble por Lawrence, Cuatro veces por Amati! ¿Quién quiere apostar?" resonaron por toda la filial.

Quien se había ofrecido como voluntario para ser el banquero de esta apuesta era un comerciante de sal conocido por Lawrence. Tan pronto como notó que Lawrence le estaba mirando, le devolvió una amplia sonrisa.

Que las ganancias por apostar por Lawrence eran menores que las de Amati, implicaba que los comerciantes presentes habían entendido que Amati se encontraba en desventaja. Cuando Lawrence vio las 1000 monedas de plata mencionadas en el contrato, la sensación de tranquilidad que se extendió por su cuerpo no estaba basada en una observación demasiado esperanzada. Más bien, analizándolo con sentido común, que Amati presentara semejante contrato era claramente era algo estúpido.

Las apuestas de los comerciantes que continuaban apareciendo 1 por 1 eran en su mayoría a favor de Lawrence. Según subían las apuestas por él más y más, crecía la confianza de Lawrence.

Aunque Lawrence casi se asustó como para sobresaltarse al escuchar por primera vez a Amati declarar su intención de proponerle matrimonio a Horo, las verdaderas posibilidades de que Amati consiguiera completar el contrato eran extremadamente pequeñas.

Además, pensó incluso que dejando de lado que las apuestas ya parecían estar asignadas en contra de Amati, había un último factor clave que le daba a Lawrence hasta más tranquilidad.

En otras palabras, siempre y cuando Horo no mostrará su aprobación, Amati y Horo no podrían casarse.

En lo que respecta a este punto, Lawrence tenía absoluta confianza.

Amati posiblemente no podría saber que Lawrence y Horo estaban actualmente buscando juntos la ciudad natal de Horo en el norte.

Lawrence le había dicho a Horo que antes de nada, para un comerciante, la información era lo más importante. No teniendo suficiente información era como ir al campo de batalla con los ojos vendados.

La situación actual de Amati era un clásico caso de falta de información. Por esta único error, incluso si fuera por toda la ciudad, gastando todas sus fuerzas y consiguiendo finalmente reunir las 1000 monedas de plata para eliminar la deuda de Horo, Horo casi seguro todavía continuara el viaje al norte con Lawrence.

Lawrence sopesaba todos estos detalles mientras se disculpaba por el dueño de la filial por armar tanto alboroto con tan extrañas circunstancias, dejando después el edificio.

Tan pronto como las apuestas estuvieran fijadas, los comerciantes no dudarían en dirigir su atención hacia Lawrence, por lo que Lawrence pensó que lo mejor era irse antes de eso, porque no quería convertirse en un tópico durante el banquete.

Según Lawrence atravesaba con dificultad la cantidad de comerciantes y consiguió salir de la filial, encontró a alguien familiar esperándole fuera.

Era la persona que le había presentado a la cronista Deanna, Bartose.

"Ciertamente te has tropezado con algo bastante problemático."

Seeing Lawrence respond with a strained smile, Bartose showed a sympathetic smile-

and immediately uttered a “But,” and continued to speak:

“I believe Amati proposed the contract because he’s thought of a way to summon up the funds.”

Hearing such an unexpected remark from Bartose, the strained smile faded from Lawrence’s face.

“It can’t be.”

“Of course, the method doesn’t seem like it could be counted as decent,” Bartose added.

It certainly couldn’t be like the method he had employed back in Rubinhagen, thought Lawrence.

In Kumerson, there was no product whose import required a heavy tax. Without the problem of taxes, there was of course no point in smuggling.

“I’m sure that before long, the news will have reached everyone’s ears. If I show too much support for you, Mr. Amati would be too pitiable after having summoned up the courage to make such a bold declaration in the firm. I just wanted to tell you this ahead of time, Mr. Lawrence.”

“But why?”

Bartose revealed a smile like that of a youngster.

“Because no matter what the reason, having someone to travel with is always a happy thing. If this traveling companion were to be snatched away, to a traveling merchant, that would just be too harsh,”

Bartose said with a smile on his face. His appearance made one feel that what he had said was completely in earnest.

“You should probably hurry back to the inn and come up with a counter plan right?” Bartose suggested.

From Lawrence’s point of view, Bartose was just like a business associate who was willing to conduct a large business deal with conditions favorable to Lawrence. Lawrence gave him a sign of gratitude and headed in the direction of the inn.

Amati had already come up with a way of securing the funds.

Although Lawrence had evaluated the situation incorrectly, there were still things between Lawrence and Horo that Bartose did not know about.

Lawrence continued to ponder the situation back and forth as he walked along the street whose traffic was being regulated due to the festival.

The conclusion he came to was that Horo would definitely not lean toward Amati.

---

After Lawrence had recounted the events that had come to pass to Horo, who had stayed at the inn the entire time, he received an unexpectedly cold response.

Horo certainly showed surprise when she had heard the message conveyed by Mark’s apprentice boy, but now, she seemed to consider grooming her tail to be more important. She was sitting cross-legged and had placed her tail directly on her legs for grooming.

“So, have you accepted the contract?” she asked.

“Aye.”

“Really....,”

Horo said with a cold look, and immediately directed her gaze towards her tail. Watching Horo’s uninterested appearance, Lawrence couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for Amati.

Lawrence gazed out the window, telling himself, “There’s nothing to worry about at all.” At that moment, Horo suddenly spoke:

“You.”

“What is it?”

“If that naïve young master were really to pay the thousand silver coins, what would you do?”

Lawrence felt that if he answered, “What do you mean what would I do” at that moment, Horo would most definitely reveal a disappointed expression.

Most likely, Horo wished to know the first thought that surfaced in Lawrence’s mind when faced with such a question.

Lawrence pretended to ponder for a moment, and purposely chose a less-than-ideal answer with which to respond:

“After settling all the money you’ve spent, I’d give the rest of the money to you.”

The ears on Horo’s head moved slowly, and her eyelids concealed half of each eye.

“Do not test me,” she said.

“It would be too unfair if I were always the one being tested, wouldn’t it?”

“Hmph.”

Horo gave a puff of her nose with a look of dissatisfaction before drawing her gaze back toward the tail next to her hands.

Lawrence had intentionally not revealed the first thought that had surfaced in his mind.

Moreover, Lawrence did this as a test to see whether Horo would detect that he had intentionally withheld the truth.

“In the case that Amati fulfills the contract, I’ll also keep my end of the bargain,” he said.

“Oh?”

Although Horo had not lifted her face, Lawrence of course knew that she was not looking at her tail at all.

“Of course, you were free to begin with, so you can act according to your own will,” Lawrence continued.

“Quite a bit of confidence you have.”

Horo changed her cross-legged position, letting her feet rest on the floor.

Her posture was a bit like the ready position she assumed every time she planned to pounce on Lawrence, which caused him to recoil slightly, but he immediately replied with great confidence:

“It’s not that I have confidence, but that I trust you.”

A single thing could be said in many different ways.

Although in the end, what was expressed was the same idea, Lawrence felt that putting it this way seemed manlier.

For a moment, Horo revealed a stunned expression, but being quick in reaction, she seemed to detect what Lawrence had in mind.

After laughing cheerfully for a moment, she quickly stood up from her bed and said:

“Seriously, you look much cuter when you are panic-stricken.”

“Even I am deeply impressed with how much I’ve grown.”

“Hmph, you think you count as a grownup simply by carrying yourself in a dignified manner?”

“Is it not so?”

“In a gambling match, if you bear yourself in an easy manner only after having assessed the odds and determined that the situation is in your favor, that is merely a show of a little cleverness and not the behavior of a grownup at all.”

Hearing the centuries-old wise wolf express her brilliant view, Lawrence couldn’t suppress a look of suspicion, as if he were facing someone who was marketing an odd piece of merchandise.

“For example, when Amati had proposed the contract, refusing it would have been an admirable course of action as well, would it not?

Before Lawrence even had a chance to say, “Not at all,” Horo seized the initiative and continued:

“Mostly likely, you had first judged the reactions of those around you and determined whether or not you would lose face, had you not?”

“Erh.....”

“How about we consider the situation in which our standpoints are switched. In other words, I would say this-”

Horo cleared her throat once, and said with her right hand pressed against her chest:

“I could not possibly accept the contract. I wish to always be together with Lawrence. Even if I am in debt, that also counts as a bond that connects me and Lawrence. No matter how many bonds already exist to connect me and Lawrence, I cannot stand it if even one of those bonds were lost….as such, even if I were put to shame right here, I would not accept the contract….just like that, how about it?”

This almost seemed like a scene from an opera.

Horo’s expression was so serious that her speech moved Lawrence deeply to the depths of his heart.

“If I heard someone say this to me, I would surely be breathless for joy.”

Although Lawrence was aware that Horo was of course joking, he also felt that her words were not without reason.

Yet, Lawrence was certainly not willing to admit it outright, because the moment he did so, he would be admitting that he was a spineless man who had accepted the contract in order to preserve his public image. Moreover, if he had really made such a bold declaration in public, even if he did not become an object of ridicule right then and there, it would have posed problems for him later on.

“Perhaps that would indeed be a manly act, but whether or not it counts as the act of a grownup is another matter altogether isn’t it?”

Horo folded her arms in front of her chest, and allowed her gaze to drift momentarily in the air before nodding her head lightly and speaking:

“Indeed, although that is the behavior of a good male, it is also the rash behavior of a youngster that shows no consideration of consequences. Hearing such a declaration would perhaps bring a sense of joy, but, it would probably be a bit excessive (note: the Chinese here literally means “it would probably cause a stuffed burp,” which doesn’t make much sense in English, hence my choosing to translate it according to its implied meaning).”

“I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Yea. Thinking about it this way, perhaps the behavior of a good male and that of a good grownup are mutually exclusive. A good male appears childish, whereas a good grownup appears to be good for nothing.”

If an obstinate knight were to hear an utterance so disrespectful of men from Horo, he would probably be angered into drawing his sword in confrontation.

Seeing Horo looking at him with a mocking smile, Lawrence naturally did not give up on countering:

“In that case, how would the wise wolf Horo, who is both a good woman and a good grownup, respond if she were faced with Amati’s contract?”

Horo’s face still wore a smile.

Keeing her arms folded before her chest, she immediately replied:

“By smilingly accepting the proposal of course.”

Lawrence was speechless at hearing this, and Horo’s smile followed him relentlessly.

Seeing Horo’s light smile, and the effortless ease with which she seemed to be able to accept Amati’s contract, Lawrence could imagine just how calm and composed, how profound she was.

Yet, Lawrence did not harbor the same thoughts as Horo.

This made Lawrence realize once again that the one standing before him was, after all, Horo, the self-proclaimed wise wolf.

“Of course, once I had signed the contract and returned to the inn, I would go like this, approaching your side without uttering a thing....”

One step at a time, Horo forced Lawrence into the corner next to the window, loosened the arms that were folded in front of her chest and, reaching out gently to Lawrence said:

“...and lower my head.”

The way Horo drooped her tail and ears, and the way her shoulders sagged as if completely devoid of strength had an illusory appearance. If this were a trap that she had set up, surely it was one that could not be seen through.

The next second brought a snicker from Horo, which filled Lawrence with apprehension.

“However, you count as a good merchant. Surely you signed the contract because you had decided that this was a gamble with a good chance of winning. Even so, you will undoubtedly make numerous moves in the shadows, just to be sure.”

Horo lifted her head, waving her ears and tail in a seemingly happy fashion and at the same time swinging around in a half circle, allowing her body to press firmly against Lawrence’s side.

Of course, Lawrence immediately understood Horo’s intention.

“You want me to take you to see the festival right?” he asked.

“In order to fulfill a contract, a merchant would not hesitate to bribe, would he?”

The contract between Lawrence and Amati was not directly related to Horo. Even so, whether or not Amati’s proposal would succeed was the end of this commotion. To describe the situation in completely unembellished terms, whether or not Lawrence could earn the thousand silver coins in full was completely dependent on Horo’s mood.

Given Lawrence’s position, how could he afford not to bribe Horo, who held the power of jurisdiction?

“In any case, I have to make a move to gather information on Amati, so I guess I’ll bring you along while I’m at it,” he said.

“You mean you will take me out, and gather information while you are at it?”

“Fine,”

Lawrence, who had received a punch in the waist from Horo, smiled and answered with a sigh.

---

The first thing that needed to be done was to investigate Amati’s financial state.

According to Lawrence’s calculations, Amati could not possibly produce the one thousand silver coins all at once, and Bartose himself had said that in order to gather the money, Amati was even employing methods that were not altogether decent, so this was probably true.

However, if Amati were really to come up with the required sum, it would be quite troublesome. Thus, Lawrence decided to pay a visit to Mark’s vending stand and request his help with the investigation.

Because Mark kept his shop open as usual during the festival period, he had not had the opportunity to see the commotion for himself, and thus readily agreed to help. In such a situation where rumors were being spread continuously but with few merchants who had actually seen Horo’s true face, bringing Horo to Mark’s stand was indeed extremely effective.

Compared to being able to watch the developments of the commotion from a front-row seat, providing a bit of help was a trivial matter.

“Besides, the person who’ll actually be running all about town isn’t me,” said Mark.

Although the boy running the errands stirred one’s sympathy, his was a road that everyone needed to pass, the thought of which put Lawrence in a complicated mood.

“But, is it really alright for you to be running around with the rumored beauty?” asked Mark.

“She said she wanted to see the Lazura festival. Besides, if I’d kept her confined in the inn room, wouldn’t I really become someone who’s using debt to tie her down?”

“Although Mr. Lawrence has put it that way, what is the truth of the situation?”

Mark smiled and asked Horo. Horo was dressed today in the usual city girl fashion, and had donned the fox-skin scarf given to her by Amati. She appeared to understand what Mark was thinking, and with both hands pressed against her chest replied:

“There is no hidden truth about it. I am in fact bound by the fetters of a heavy debt. These chains, which obstruct my view of the future, are so heavy that I cannot escape no matter how much I wish to.....if you would be willing to help me undo these fetters, even if my face were to be dirtied with flour, I would gladly accept it.”

Having heard this, Mark instantly burst into laughter.

“Wahahahaha, no wonder Amati would fall before your feet. Judging from the situation, the person who’s really being tied down is most certainly Lawrence.”

Lawrence turned his face away without counter-attacking. He knew that with Mark and Horo attacking from both sides, he did not stand a chance.

However, perhaps because Lawrence normally carried himself in a benevolent manner, his savior appeared at that very moment.

The little boy made his way through the crowds and ran over.

“I’ve found it,” he cried.

“Oh, good work. What’re the results of the investigation?”

As the boy reported to Mark, he did not forget to greet Lawrence and Horo.

Surely he was not interested in hearing words of approval from Mark or Lawrence at this time, but wished instead to see Horo smile.

Horo, who understood the boy’s state of mind, tilted her head and beamed a smile that appeared more graceful than usual at the boy. Her very sinful act caused the boy’s face to flush bright red.

“What are the results?”

Seeing Mark ask this with a malicious smile, the boy was flustered as he prepared to reply. Having someone like Mark for his master, the boy was no doubt frequently teased ever since he began his apprenticeship there.

“Ah, yes. Uhm, the amount before tax deductions in the tax account book is two hundred Iredo,” he reported.

“Two hundred Iredo huh. Which means......about eight hundred Trenni silver coins. This sum should be the amount Amati has on hand that the city council has knowledge of,” said Mark.

With a few exceptions, any merchant who possessed a certain amount of money was required to pay taxes. All taxed amounts were recorded in the tax account book, which could be freely viewed by any merchant who had business associations with one whose tax records were found in the book. Through his friends, Mark had enlisted the help of merchants who had business dealings with Amati in investigating Amati’s taxed sum.

However, a town merchant was not likely to provide an accurate report of his property to the city council, so Amati no doubt more or less possessed a certain amount of undeclared property. Besides, the bulk of any merchant’s fortunes existed in the form of crediting rights.

Yet, even if Amati did in fact possess other property, he still could not possibly produce a thousand silver coins all at once to buy Horo.

As such, if Amati really planned to fulfill the contract, he could only resort to such methods as borrowing money or gambling that allowed huge sums to be gathered in short periods of time.

“Where is Kumerson’s gambling house?” asked Lawrence.

“It’s not like gambling is permissible in Kumerson just because there’s no church here. At best, you can find people playing cards, dice, or ‘catch the rabbit (note: really, I have no idea what this is...).’ There’s also an upper limit to the stakes. Gathering the sum by gambling is impossible.”

From the way Mark was able to immediately provide an exact answer after hearing just a simple question, it was apparent that he had also contemplated and analyzed the possible means by which Amati could gather the money.

Whatever the case may be, Amati’s action was the equivalent of preparing to spend a thousand silver coins buying an item that could not be exchanged for money. No merchant would be uncurious as to what the source of Amati’s funds was.

Lawrence continued to consider these matters as he thought about what investigation to request Mark’s help with next. Suddenly, Mark spoke:

“Oh yeah, speaking of gambling, I heard that in addition to the bet over the outcome of your contract with Amati, there’s another bet for after the contract is completed.”

“After it’s completed?”

“Aye. In other words, in the scenario where Amati successfully carries out the contract, the bet over who will be the winner after that.”

Mark revealed a provoking smile, and Lawrence’s expression turned sour.

Horo, who had become the key person in this match, seemed to have taken an interest in the wheat and flour piled within the stand. She allowed the boy to lead her about diligently as she looked around inside.

Mark’s words seemed to have reached her ears as well, and she looked in Lawrence’s direction.

“Although you currently hold the advantage, the payoff is one-to-two. It’s a pretty close game,” said Mark.

“I should have the banker share some of the money with me.”

“Hahaha. So, what is the actual situation?”

For Mark to be asking such a question was unquestionably to gain useful information concerning the bet in order to win some money, as well as because of a natural interest in joining in on anything fun.

Lawrence did not pay much attention to Mark’s question, and only gave a shrug. However, Horo, who had approached Lawrence unawares, responded to the question.

“There are many questions in this world that are difficult to answer even if the answer is already known. For instance, the mixing ratio of flour.”

“Erh.”

Mark looked quickly in the direction of the boy, who shook his head vigorously as if to indicate that he had said nothing. The mixing ratio of flour that Horo had mentioned referred to the flour’s purity. In order to increase the quantity of flour, a wheat merchant would frequently add a bit of flour of cheaper cost into the flour grounded from the original wheat.

If the amount of the different flour added was kept at a very small quantity, even a wheat merchant who came into contact with flour on a daily basis would not be able to tell. However, for Horo who dwelled within the wheat, surely this could be done with one glance.

Horo smiled maliciously and continued:

“You wish to ask me what I would do if the debt were to be cleared?”

Horo employed her specialty – a smiling face that was really not smiling at all.

Both Mark and the boy shook their heads vigorously, and looked to Lawrence with supplicant eyes.

“But then, the only thing that can be done is to keep watch on the opposing side’s actions directly,” said Lawrence.

“How insidious.”

Horo’s to-the-point remark pricked at Lawrence’s chest.

“I wish you’d simply describe it as a competition beneath the water surface. After all, the opposing side will certainly send people to watch my every move as well,” he responded.

Yet Mark, who had regained his composure, sang a different tune:

“No, I don’t think so. You see, in spite of his weak appearance, Amati did in fact run away from home by himself to this border town and achieve all that he has with his own power. Moreover, he’s still so young, and self-centered on many matters. Not only does he not place importance on the lateral connections among us town merchants, he’d even look down upon the kind of shady behavior just mentioned. He only believes in his ability to determine the quality of fish, his eloquence at promoting sales, and the blessings of God.”

“Almost exactly like a knight,” Lawrence thought to himself. To think that Amati could reach his current position in such a manner, Lawrence could not help feeling a bit envious.

“Maybe it’s precisely for this reason that Amati would fall madly in love with the charming girl who’d suddenly arrived in town? After all, among the women of town exists a lateral connection even stronger than that among town merchants. They’re always paying attention to any surrounding criticism and spying on one another. As soon as one seems to stand out too much, they’ll all attack that person unanimously; I’m sure they’re also people whom Amati would look down upon. Of course, after marrying Adele, I discovered that not all the women in town are like that.”

As a traveling merchant, Lawrence could understand Mark’s explanation very well. From an outsider’s perspective, the women of Kumerson were indeed as he had described.

Lawrence glanced at Horo, who had walked up to his side. He felt that under those circumstances, it was quite possible that Amati would fall head over heels for her with just one glance. Besides, the fact that most believed Horo to be a normal girl would make falling in love with her all the more likely.

“However, even if Mr. Amati is such a person, I’m still free to make use of the merchants’ lateral connections. If it were a competition between knights, such insidious behavior would perhaps be frowned upon, but in a competition between merchants, complaining about something like this wouldn’t be acceptable.”

“Aye, I agree on that point.”

Having said this, Mark looked towards Horo.

Lawrence looked again towards Horo as well, and Horo, as if she had been just waiting for Lawrence to look in her direction, held her cheeks in her hands and spoke in a shy manner:

“How I wish someone would honorably attack me from the front every once in a while.”

Mark must have also come to the realization that beating Horo was an impossible feat, Lawrence thought to himself.

---

After that, Lawrence had decided to request Mark’s assistance in gathering information on Amati through his connections. While asking Mark’s help, Lawrence did not forget to add to his explanation Bartose’s mention that Amati seemed to have already come up with a way to gather the funds.

Although Lawrence had faith in Horo, if he were to take that as an excuse to sit around doing nothing, he dared not imagine what Horo would do to drag him down. Besides, concerning the point of gathering information on Amati, Lawrence was also contemplating the possibility of hitching a free ride with Amati to make a large profit.

Because it would only serve to disrupt Mark’s business if Lawrence and Horo continued to loiter in front of his stand, the two left as soon as Lawrence had finished making his request.

The streets of Kumerson seemed to be filled with more and more vitality. Even after walking out of the marketplace and onto the plaza, the crowds were still as immense as in the marketplace.

The time was approaching noon, and every tempting stand along the way attracted huge lines of customers. Of course, this was not enough to discourage Horo, who clutched tightly to the coin won from Lawrence’s hands as she lined up in front of the stands that attracted her.

Lawrence watched Horo waiting in line from a distance, thinking it was about time the bell toll signaling the arrival of noon sounded. At that moment, a rather blunt and low sound suddenly rang out.

“A bugle?”

The thought of bugles reminded him of shepherds; this made Lawrence think of Nora, who had taken a great gamble with them back in Rubinhagen. However, he felt it would be troublesome if the sharply-instinctive Horo were to see through his thoughts.

As Lawrence banished Nora’s image from his mind and looked for the source of the sound, Horo, who had successfully bought her desired item -fried dough- walked back to him.

“Did you hear that just now, the sound like that which is made by shepherds?” she asked.

“Aye. If even you think so, that must’ve really been the sound of a bugle.”

“This place is overflowing with the scent of food, such that I cannot make out at all the scent of any sheep nearby.”

“There should be plenty of sheep in the marketplace. But that still doesn’t explain why someone would be blowing a bugle in town.”

“Yea. After all, the shepherd girl is not here.”

Because Lawrence had long anticipated Horo’s saying this, he did not appear too shaken.

“Erh. If you are not at all shaken, does that not make it appear like I am trying to test you?” said Horo.

“Then I’m simply overjoyed, joyful to a frightening degree.”

Horo bit into the fried dough with a crunch, her face full of joy. Lawrence smiled lightly as he once again directed his sight to his surroundings. He discovered that the crowds were all moving in the same direction – all the people were making their way towards the town centre. The bugle call just now must have been the signal for the commencement of the festival.

“The festival has probably begun. Want to go see?” asked Lawrence.

“It would be boring to do nothing but eat.”

As Lawrence strode out with a strained smile, Horo followed close behind, and reached out her hand to grasp Lawrence’s.

The two moved with the crowds, heading north along the edge of the marketplace. Soon, the sound of people cheering mixed in with the sounds of flutes and drums reached their ears.

Ahead of them could be seen city girls dressed in a manner similar to Horo’s, or what seemed to be black-faced apprentices who had snuck out from work, traveling preachers with three feathers attached to their garments, as well as lightly-dressed knights and soldiers. It was certainly a diverse gathering.

Judging from the direction of the cheers, the source appeared to be the intersection of the two main streets that divided the town into four quadrants. However, due to the crowds, the intersection could not be seen at all. Although Horo tried stretching her neck to get a view of the festival sights, even Lawrence was unable to see, much less Horo, who was significantly smaller than him.

Lawrence suddenly remembered something and, taking Horo’s hand, turned into an adjacent alley from the large street.

Contrasting sharply with the clamorous street, upon entering into the alley, the surroundings immediately quieted down. Here could be seen beggars shrouded in tattered cloth sleeping with an expression that seemed to indicate that the street’s lively atmosphere had nothing to do with them, or craftsmen preparing the merchandise for their vending stands working busily in their open workspaces.

Horo seemed to realize immediately where Lawrence was planning to take her, and followed in silence.

If the festival was being held in the main streets, the inn at which the two were staying would surely provide a perfect vantage point from which the festival’s spectacular sights could be clearly seen.

The two moved briskly along the almost deserted alley, entered the inn through the back door and made their way to the second floor.

Having reached the second floor, they discovered that someone else had also come up with the same idea, and was planning to make a profiting business out of it. The doors to some of the rooms facing the street stood wide open, and a sly-looking merchant had pulled a chair outside one of the doors and was playing casually with some coins in his hand as he sat there.

“On this point, we should thank Amati,” said Lawrence.

Entering the room and opening the wooden window, Lawrence instantly discovered that the window side formed the best spot to view the festival.

He had only to peek out his head to take in everything that was happening at the intersection of the two main streets running east-west and north-south. Moreover, even a normal glance out the window was sufficient to see the entire festival.

The people playing the flutes and drums at the intersection all had identical long black robes fitted over them and covering the entire body, giving them a bizarre appearance and even making it impossible to tell whether they were male or female.

Behind this group clad in black followed another group of incredibly-dressed people.

Some of the costumes consisted of multiple portions of cloth sewed together to form a huge garment hiding several people underneath, with a human-faced mask raised up where the head should be; some consisted of a very long robe fitted over someone playing a giant, probably with several other people, each sitting on another’s shoulders underneath the robe. Some of these giants carried large swords made by fitting together a series of wooden sticks, and others carried large bows taller in height than a person. Every time these giants waved around their enormous swords or bows, the spectators responded with cheers.

However, just as Lawrence was about to think, “I guess that’s all there is to the show,” a wave of excited cries was heard from the crowds, followed by the sound of a different set of instruments.

Horo gave a soft cry as well, and Lawrence, fearing that he would block her view, reached his head out the window.

The inn was situated at the southeast corner of the intersection, and a procession of quaintly-dressed paraders seemed to be emerging from the east.

Although this procession was also led by a group of people clad in black, the people following behind were dressed in a fashion very much distinct from that of the group within the intersection.

Some had their faces painted completely black and wore a pair of cow horns on their heads, and some carried feathers on their backs. Among the group were also people draped with animal furs. Even if Horo were to mix into the procession with her ears and tail revealed, she would probably not be discovered. As this procession passed through, what arose was a sound perhaps more appropriately described as a scream than a cheer, and at the same moment, a wheat puppet of height much greater than that of a human appeared. The puppet had four legs, was in appearance similar to a dog, and in size even larger than Horo in wolf form. It was supported on a wooden rack and carried forth by about ten men.

Lawrence was just about to address Horo, but, seeing that Horo was focused on watching the developments of the festival, decided not to say anything.

Puppets with animal-like appearances or modeled after animals continued to show up one after another within the procession and lingered at the intersection, which had transformed into a public square.

Not long after that, the people in black who went before and led the processions glanced at the erected signposts scattered about the area, pointed in various directions with their fingers, and started moving about.

Seeing the actions of the people in black, Lawrence guessed that this was not a simple masquerading parade, but had some kind of story to it. Too bad he did not possess any knowledge in this area. Just as Lawrence was considering finding an opportunity to ask Mark about it once the festival was over, he discovered that yet another procession was making its way over from the north end of the street running north-south.

This time, the procession seemed to consist of normal people. Included within the procession were people dressed in tattered clothing, dressed as nobles, as well as those dressed as knights, but they all had one thing in common in that they all carried spoons in their hands. Just as Lawrence was feeling incredulous and wondering why everyone was carrying spoons, the three processions came into contact with one another at the center of the crossroads, and the paraders were calling out loudly in a language he had never heard before. The surrounding spectators uttered low exclamations, and listened tensely to the dialogue of the paraders. Even Lawrence felt an involuntary tenseness.

Just as Lawrence was wondering what would happen next, the black-clad people all pointed in unison toward the same direction.

They were pointing in the direction southwest of the intersection, and all the people directed their gazes toward that direction.

Lawrence looked to the southwest, and discovered that since some unknown time, several handcarts loaded with large barrels were already parked there. After laughing in a much exaggerated manner, the people surrounding the handcarts immediately pushed them forth into the intersection.

The black-clad people began to play their instruments, the quaintly-dressed people and those pulling along the animal puppets began to sing in unison, and those responsible for opening the barrels began scooping up the liquid within with ladles and sprinkling it in every direction.

The sprinkling action seemed to function as a signal. The crowds of spectators watching from a distance entered the intersection as well and each person began dancing at will.

The scope occupied by the gathering dancers continued to increase in magnitude. A few of the quaintly-dressed people ran out of the intersection and moved along the street, dancing all the while.

The passers-by on the street were influenced by these people, and one by one began dancing as well. In the blink of an eye, the entire street had transformed into a large-scale dance floor. At the center of the intersection, the people who had been part of the processions hung to one another’s shoulders and began a roundel (note: a.k.a. circle dance or round dance). The festival, once it reached such a point, could in no way be stopped. Today everyone was certain to sing, dance, and revel all the way till daylight.

Judging from the atmosphere, Lawrence could tell that the signal for the commencement of the festival, perhaps more accurately described as a commotion, was at an end.

Horo withdrew her body, which had been almost completely outside the window, and said immediately as she looked to Lawrence:

“Let us go down and dance as well.”

Speaking of the number of times Lawrence had danced in his lifetime, it could easily be counted with five fingers. That was because Lawrence had always done his best to avoid participating in such festivals. After all, he felt that dancing alone would only add to his sadness.

Having thought to this point, Lawrence hesitated for a moment, but seeing Horo’s outstretched hand, he changed his mind.

He would be surrounded by drunkards all around anyway, so not being able to dance well mattered little.

Besides, Horo’s small, outstretched hand was more valuable than a thousand gold pieces.

“Alright!”

Lawrence said decisively as he took Horo’s hand.

Horo seemed to sense Lawrence’s determination, and said with a smile:

“You just have to be careful not to step on my feet.”

“.....I’ll try my best.”

And in that manner, the two exited the inn and ran towards the commotion, hand in hand.

---

Lawrence could not recall how many years it had been since he’d been so wild.

He had also never danced, laughed, and drunk to such an extent as he did today.

Perhaps this was the first time he realized that even he could become intoxicated within the flow of a genuinely good time.

Because when the good times had passed, what surged up was always a greater sense of loneliness.

Yet at this very moment, as he supported Horo, who could not stand steadily due to having drunk too much in her revelry by the shoulder and made his way up the stairs of the inn, despite the fact that the heat in his chest had cooled down significantly, what remained was a portion of gladness that was just right. This made Lawrence feel that, as long as Horo was by his side, the cheerful atmosphere would continue to last.

Upon returning to the room, the clamor from the streets continued to flow in through the wooden window, which he had forgotten to close. The night had just begun, so the craftsmen or merchants who had not been able to join in the commotion at noon were certain to begin reveling wildly now.

Besides, the festival seemed to have entered a new phase. On the way back to the inn, Lawrence had taken a look back in the direction of the intersection and discovered that the people were shuttling back and forth hurriedly.

If Horo still had any strength left in her, she would undoubtedly make a fuss over watching. Unfortunately, there was her current state.

After letting Horo lie in bed and continuing the manservant’s task from the previous day of putting Horo’s clothes in order, he could not suppress a sigh.

However, this was not an unhappy sigh, but one that came out along with a smile upon seeing Horo lying defenselessly with her cheeks flushed.

Perhaps it would be a bit unfair to Amati to say so, but Lawrence no longer held any sense of fear over the contract he had signed.

Forget about fear, before he returned to the inn, he had forgotten altogether that he had even signed a contract in the first place.

When he arrived back at the inn, the innkeeper had mentioned that someone had left a message. It was mark, and the content of the message was, “Have already found out Amati’s means of making money, come to the store quickly.”

Even upon hearing the words, “come to the store quickly,” the first thought that emerged in his mind was, “I’ll just go tomorrow.” This was an idea that Lawrence would normally never have, and truly opened his eyes to the fact that the contract was very far down in his list of priorities.

Compared to Mark’s message, what concerned him more was the letter he had received along with the message. The letter was sealed with wax, and “Deanna” was written in beautiful handwriting in the spot for the sender. The innkeeper had said that the letter was delivered by a man with a sturdy coffin-like build (note: here we go again with Mr. “Coffin” Bartose xD). That person was surely Bartose.

Lawrence had requested back then that Deanna notify him if she remembered anything else about Yoitsu, so it was possible that the letter’s contents concerned it. Though the thought of opening the letter and taking a look flashed through his head, in the end he decided against it, feeling that if he were to sit down and read the letter, it would only make him even lazier about heading out to see Mark.

After slipping the letter he had taken out back in his coat, he closed the window through which the clamor continued to sound and prepared to leave the room.

As he reached out his hand to open the door, he suddenly detected someone’s gaze on his back. Turning around, it was of course none other than a sleepy-faced Horo, who was just trying to open her eyes and look in his direction.

“I’ll be going out for a bit,” said Lawrence.

“....going out hiding a letter tinged with the scent of a female within your bosom?”

Horo’s displeasure seemed not to stem from a struggle with her sleepiness.

“She’s quite a beauty. Does it bother you?” Lawrence teased.

“.....Dumb ass.”

“She’s a chronicler. Do you know about this type of occupation? She’s the one providing us with information on Yoitsu, and is very familiar with ancient legends and myths of the North. Though I haven’t looked at the letter yet, I was able to gain a lot of useful information just by talking to her yesterday, and even heard a story related to you.” Horo rubbed her eyes for a while like a cat washing its face, before sitting up slowly to speak:

“....Story? About me?”

“Your legend remains in a town called Renose. ‘Horuo of the wheaten tail,’ that refers to you right?”

“.....I do not know. But, what did you mean by ‘useful information?’”

Horo seemed to be fully awake now. After all, the subject was her home town.

“In the legend of Renose, there was mention of the direction from which you’d arrived.”

“Is.....”

Horo’s eyes grew wide, and her body went stiff. Her emotion emerged a step later on her face.

“Is it true?” she asked.

“Why would I lie to you? It’s said that you had come from the forest east of Renose. To the southwest of Nooshira, at the point where it meets the forest east of Renose is where Yoitsu is situated.”

Having heard this unexpected news, Horo pulled the covers clutched tightly in her hands closer toward herself, and lowered her head in silence. Her wolf ears quivered slightly and continually, as if every hair upon it was filled with the emotion of joy.

The Horo before Lawrence was like a young maiden who had lost her way, and who revealed an expression of immeasurable relief at finally finding a familiar path after passing endless years.

Slowly, Horo drew in a deep breath, and exhaled with great force.

The fact that Horo did not burst into tears on the spot was probably due to her pride as the wise wolf.

“You didn’t cry, how well-behaved.”

“....Dumb ass.”

The fact that Horo pouted her lips slightly was perhaps because she truly was on the verge of crying.

“To be honest, the scope was way too large just knowing that the location’s to the southwest of Nooshira. With this, the scope has narrowed down significantly. Even though I haven’t read the letter yet, I’m sure it’s just supplementing information. Judging by the situation, we may be able to find our destination sooner than imagined,” said Lawrence.

After nodding her head, Horo directed her gaze away slightly, and looked in Lawrence’s direction once again as if peeping at him while she hugged the covers.

Within her amber eyes tinged with a bit of red shone a light of anticipation mixed with agitation.

Only the tip of the restless-looking tail was swaying back and forth. Such an appearance made Horo seem like a weak and gentle maiden, making it hard for Lawrence not to give a strained smile.

However, if Lawrence were unable to understand what Horo was saying with her eyes, even if Horo were to sever his throat on the spot, he would have deserved it.

Lawrence cleared his throat once, and replied immediately:

“We should only need about half a year to find it.”

Lawrence could clearly sense the blood renewing its flow within Horo’s body, which had become as stiff as a stone sculpture.

“Mm,” Horo said, nodding, her face full of delight.

“So, that’s how things are. The sender of this letter is just like a dove bringing the gospel. You’re the one who had it all wrongly distorted. Go take some time in self-reflection.”

Even though Horo pouted her lips in displeasure, Lawrence of course knew that she had done this on purpose.

“Then, I’ll be heading over to Mark’s for a bit,” Lawrence continued.

“Hiding a letter tinged with a female’s scent in your bosom?”

Hearing the same thing over again from Horo, Lawrence couldn’t suppress a laugh.

What Horo meant was, “Leave the letter behind,” Lawrence thought.

Despite not being able to read, she still wished for Lawrence to leave the letter behind, but such flustered behavior proved too embarrassing for Horo, so that she was unable to come out and say it directly.

Seeing the rare sight of Horo’s completely unveiled state of mind, Lawrence handed her the letter, feeling very much amused.

“You said just now that the sender is a beauty, did you not?” said Horo.

“She’s a beautiful woman who gives off a mature charm.”

Horo raised a shrewd brow and narrowed her eyes at Lawrence as she received the letter.

“You are a bit overly mature, becoming a bit too cunning,” Lawrence continued.

Hearing this, Horo gave a tooth-revealing grin.

“Anyway, Mark seems to have discovered Amati’s method of obtaining the thousand silver coins. I’m going to hear what he has to say.”

“Really? Do give it everything you have to come up with a counter plan, so that I am not bought from you.”

Given the amount of interaction he had had with Horo all this time, Lawrence naturally did not take Horo’s words seriously.

He shrugged his shoulders and responded:

“You can open the letter if you want to look at it. Although, you’ll have to learn how to read first.”

Horo gave a puff of her nose and lied down in bed holding the letter, before waving her tail a few times as if to say, “Hurry up and go.” The way she appeared was just like a dog that was carrying a bone back to its own territory.

Of course, Lawrence did not dare to utter such a thought. He simply smiled silently, opened the door and left the room.

As he closed the door, Lawrence glanced again at Horo, who waved her tail a few more times as if she had known all along that he would do so.

Seeing Horo’s action, Lawrence could not help laughing lightly. He closed the door slowly, fearing that making too much noise would disturb Horo.

---

“Seriously, for someone who’s asking for another’s help, you sure seem pretty relaxed, Lawrence.”

“Sorry.”

Lawrence was originally pondering whether he should head straight to Mark’s home, but he decided that perhaps Mark was still at the marketplace and thus chose to look for him at his vending stand first, and it all turned out just as he had expected.

Within the stands scattered throughout the marketplace could be seen people drinking and reveling beneath the moonlight. Among the night watchmen responsible for watching over the merchandise, quite a few had also succumbed to temptation and begun drinking.

“Although, I am pretty free during the festival period anyway, so it’s no big deal,” Mark continued.

“Is that so?”

“Aye. No one would want to walk around carrying goods during the festival right? Especially with space-consuming goods like wheat, they’re always sold before the festival begins, and purchased when the festival ends (note: Mark is speaking strictly from a merchant’s point of view, so “purchased” refers to the merchant replenishing his stock once his previous stock has been sold out.). Though, the after-night festival doesn’t count.”

Lawrence had heard that the after-night festival was held after the two-day main festival was over. This celebration, which lasted even longer than the entire period of the town-wide fair, was really no more than a big feast. However, Lawrence could understand the townspeople’s state of mind in being unable to resist using the festival as an excuse to revel madly and drink to their hearts’ content.

“Besides, thanks to gathering information for you, I’ve actually already made a bit of profit, so I won’t ask you for anything in return this time.”

The smiling Mark carried a merchant’s expression as he spoke.

From the looks of it, Amati’s method of making money was a business that allowed the possibility of free-riding.

“You’re free-riding off of Amati huh. So, what method is he using?” asked Lawrence.

“Oh, speaking of the method he’s using, it really is quite ingenious. But, this really isn’t because he’s thought up some great way of making money. What I mean is, this is a business anyone can easily use to net a huge amount of profit.”

“To a merchant, this certainly is an alluring topic,”

Lawrence said as he sat down in a seat consisting of a sawed-short log placed nearby. Mark caught the meaning in Lawrence’s utterance, and smiled maliciously.

“I heard that the knight Hashim can really dance. However, if the situation is left as it is, the overly-indulgent knight may have to accept the thousand silver coins, and have his beautiful princess taken away by his opponent,” he said.

“Even if you bet your entire fortune on Amati, it won’t make any difference to me.”

In response to Lawrence’s counterattack, Mark did not raise a shield in defense, but instead continued to go on a long-sword offense:

“Speaking of that Phillip the Third, I heard he’s been saying many malicious things about you.”

“Huh?”

“He said you’re allowing the poor girl to shoulder debt so that you can take her wherever you please; also, you’ve only been letting the girl eat cold and bitter black wheat porridge, and have been subjecting her to harsh treatment during the course of your journey, things like that,”

Mark said cheerfully as if telling a joke. Lawrence, hearing this, could only respond with a strained smile.

Lawrence of course understood that Amati was spreading ill rumors about him as a means of justifying the legitimacy of his own behavior. Yet to Lawrence, compared to the pain of a damaged reputation, the heavy feeling, as if a mosquito were flying around his face, was even more the cause of an involuntary twitching in his face.

Come to think of it, putting aside what a sword-wielding soldier might be able to do, what could a mere traveling merchant possibly do to put a girl in his debt and then force her to travel with him? Within a supported town (note: a town backed by certain powerful figures), a written acknowledgement for a debt would perhaps have some effect, but as soon as one reached the open country, it would be completely useless.

Besides, anyone used to traveling would not consider eating terrible-tasting porridge as regular meals during the course of a journey such a big deal. Perhaps it would be better to say that, to a merchant, who always has making money as his number one priority, even going without regular meals isn’t all that surprising.

Surely no one would really take Amati’s words as slanders against Lawrence. Yet, that wasn’t really where the problem was. The point was that Amati was spreading everywhere the idea that he and Lawrence stood upon the same battlefield, fighting over one woman.

Although this would not have a direct impact on Lawrence’s business, to an independent merchant, this really wasn’t something worth being happy about.

The fact that Mark would reveal such an annoying, malicious smile was no doubt because he understood the prickly sense of anger that was boiling up within Lawrence. Lawrence let out a light sigh, waved his hand as if to put an end to the discussion and said:

“So, what is this profiting business?”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Because I’d heard that Bartose seemed to have already guessed it, I used that as a starting point for my investigation, and soon found what I was looking for.”

That would mean it had something to do with Bartose’s business, Lawrence thought.

“The buying and selling of precious stones?” he asked.

“Very close, but no. It’s something totally unrelated to precious stones.”

One by one, the products bought and sold by merchants conducting business in mining regions flashed through Lawrence’s mind. And then, it suddenly struck him.

He remembered the gold-like mineral that was brought up during his conversation with Horo.

“Pyrite?”

“Oh? You’ve already heard?” Mark asked in response.

It seemed that Lawrence had hit the mark.

“No, I just thought that maybe it could be a profiting business. Something to do with a fortune teller right?”

“It seems that way. Although, I heard that the fortune teller himself has already left Kumerson,” Mark replied.

“That so?”

Hearing a sudden cheer, Lawrence directed his gaze toward the source of the sound, and saw that a group of men in traveling clothes and some town merchants were whooping in jarring tones and embracing one another one after the other, seeming very joyful over the reunion.

“But, the statement revealed to the public says that he left because his uncannily accurate fortune telling had attracted the attention of a Church official responsible for the interrogation of pagans. Then again, like anyone would seriously believe such a story,” Mark continued.

“Why would you say that?”

Mark took a sip of wine, and took a small gunnysack from the shelf behind him.

“That’s totally impossible. If someone from the Church really showed up in town, it would be sure to stir up a big commotion. Besides, the amount of pyrite in circulation seems to me a bit too large. My guess is that the fortune teller bought his supply of pyrite from another town and left this place as soon as all of it had been sold out. Also.....”

Mark spilled out the contents of the gunnysack on the discussion table. Under the shining moonlight, the pieces of pyrite rolled about on the table surface, giving off a white radiance. Among these were specimens beautifully shaped like dice, as well as lump-shaped ones that looked like flattened bread.

“I think the fortune teller was purposely emphasizing the rareness of pyrite. Guess how much this is worth right now.”

The piece of pyrite Mark held in his hand was dice-shaped, considered the most valuable among pyrite specimens. Going by the original market value, the price should be about ten Iredo, or about one fourth of a Trenni silver coin.

However, Lawrence remembered Horo had told him that the pyrite piece Amati bought her had come from an auction, so he made a slightly more daring guess.

“One hundred Iredo.”

“It’s 270.”

“Im-”

Lawrence swallowed the word “possible,” and silently cursed himself for not having made a move to seek out and buy the pyrite in stock when Horo first told him about it.

“To us men, such a price would seem ridiculous even if this were some kind of gemstone. But the price of this thing right now is even more ridiculous. As soon as the marketplace opens tomorrow, the price will most likely rise again. Right now, all the women in town are fighting over the buying of this thing. Whatever the times, fortune telling and secret beauty potions will always remain popular products,” said Mark.

“Even so, isn’t this thing being worth 270 a bit too exaggerated?”

“Not only the die-shaped ones, pyrite pieces of various other shapes have all risen in price on the basis that each serves a different function. After all, the women are all persuading the merchants or farmers who have come to the town fair with blandishments to take out money from their full money pouches and buy pyrite for them. Also, speaking of this mineral fit to be called a miracle, which has suddenly attracted the attention of every woman, those women are even competing with one another over who has received a larger quantity (note: wow, talk about vain...). Anyway, for this exact reason, each time a woman acts coquettishly, the price of pyrite rises accordingly.”

To Lawrence, who had bought wine or adornments of considerable value for city girls before, Mark’s words were particularly unpleasant to the ears.

Yet, compared to the discomfort of the ears, the deep sense of regret that came from watching a huge business opportunity slip through his fingers pained Lawrence even more.

“This is no longer on the level of simply calculating percent profit, but that of several times, or even several tens of times that. In other words, Phillip the Third who is planning to steal your princess is making crazy money as we speak,” Mark continued.

Amati seemed to have come up with the idea of helping Horo clear her debt anticipating that the silver coins in his money pouch would multiply immensely.

If Amati had already begun dealing in pyrite at the moment when he bought the pyrite piece for Horo, then it was very likely that he had already made a considerable sum. Perhaps it was really possible that Amati would have the thousand silver coins ready by the next day.

“Even though I’ve only just started touching this business, I’ve already made three hundred Iredo. That alone clearly indicates just how abnormal the rate at which the price of pyrite is rising is. Tell me, how could anyone just let this opportunity slip by?”

“Who else knows about this?” asked Lawrence.

“The news seems to have already spread throughout the marketplace this morning. I actually came by this information rather late. I should also mention that, while you and the princess were dancing, the front of the ore merchant’s stand was already in a big commotion."

Despite having long since become sober, Lawrence’s face became even redder than that of Mark, who was still drinking.

His face flushing was not due to being teased about being with Horo, but over the fact that, whereas even a merchant not so skilled in business would know to take advantage of the opportunity that had already spread throughout the marketplace to make money, Lawrence was actually right next to the marketplace, but indulging in dance.

For a serious merchant, no matter how red his face got, it would be inadequate in expressing his shame.

A failed merchant.

For the first time since his loss of composure in Rubinhagen, Lawrence wanted once again to hold his head and cry out in agony.

“Although, if Amati were really involved in some kind of shady business, it would perhaps be possible to come up with some way of hindering him, but as it is, the situation can’t really be stopped. Though I sympathize with you, I can’t help but say that you’re already a fish in the barrel.”

Lawrence of course understood that Mark meant, “Just wait and be taken care of,” but that wasn’t what was depressing him. It was the fact that, by spending all his attention on having a good time with Horo, he had allowed the opportunity to make a huge profit to slip right by him.

“One more thing, I said just now that this money-making topic has already been spread amongst the merchants didn’t I? Those merchants who are planning on reselling are going all about looking for more pyrite to buy, which is causing its price to rise even more rapidly. The point is that, at this moment in time when the wind is just starting to get strong, if you forget to raise the sail, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life,” said Mark.

“Aye, it certainly wouldn’t do to just sit around watching all the ships that have already raised their sails get farther and farther away.”

“Exactly, exactly. Besides, just in case things go wrong, you’ll be in need of some funds to buy a new princess, right?”

Seeing Mark utter this with a contented smile, Lawrence could not suppress a strained smile, but he also felt that this was a great opportunity to make up for the loss he had suffered in Rubinhagen.

“Well then, for now I’ll just buy some pyrite from you using the uncollected funds for the nails.”

Having heard these words from Lawrence, Mark showed an expression of displeasure, as if to say, “I should have known better than to say anything.”

---

After paying a price of thirty Trenni silver coins to buy four pieces of pyrite from Mark, Lawrence made his way through the crowds singing and dancing under the illumination of lanterns, and headed in the direction of the inn.

By this time, the festival seemed to have already entered its second phase, and the sound of violently-beating drums was carried to his ears.

Because of the immensity of the crowds, Lawrence could only catch a brief glimpse of the state of the festival. The second-phase festival activity was different from that which occurred during the day, appearing crude and barbaric in comparison. Lawrence could see wheat puppets colliding with one another, as well as people waving around long swords, engaged in sword dancing.

That the festival would develop into such a state was surprising, since the people were still clinging to one another’s shoulders, dancing and drinking before sunset had arrived.

Of course, to view the developments of the festival, sitting in the top seats provided by the inn room was ideal.

Thus, Lawrence pushed through the packed crowds hurriedly and headed towards the inn.

Compared to watching the festival, he actually wanted even more to take some time in contemplation.

Although the chances of Amati making the thousand Trenni silver coins and proudly throwing out such a large sum had increased, there was still nothing to worry or be shaken about.

What was really of concern was how much the value of the pyrite he had in hand could increase, how much profit it could bring, and how to trick Horo so as to buy the pyrite piece she had received from Amati for a low price.

At times, items that were normally not highly-valued could suddenly turn into gold.

Festivals always carried with them a unique atmosphere.

Upon arriving at the alley deviating somewhat from the noise and light of the main streets, Lawrence found knights and soldiers flirting around with women. Some even had their arms around the women’s shoulders, giving not the slightest attention to the gaze of bystanders.

The women leaning in the bosoms of the somber-eyed, suspicious, thief-like knights did not appear to be prostitutes, but normal city girls. If it were not for such a festival period, these city girls would surely only be willing to talk to men of more seriousness and personal integrity.

On the other hand, it was precisely because the heat brought about by the festival seemed to have the effect of dosing the people with some kind of suspicious aphrodisiac, blurring their visions, that unusual phenomena such as the rise of pyrite prices would occur. To a merchant, this was of course something to be viewed with optimism.

As he was thinking about such matters, Lawrence saw a vending stand selling cold melons for those who had burned their throats drinking hard liquor, and bought two as gifts for Horo.

If he went back empty-handed, he could not imagine what kind of venomous words Horo would throw at him. Seeing himself carry one large cold melon, like an egg laid by a huge bird under an arm and holding the other in his hand, he could not suppress a strained smile.

The dining hall situated on the first floor of the inn was as lively as the main streets. Lawrence gave a side glance at the lively scene as he made his way up to the second floor.

Arriving at the second floor, the clamorous scene of the first floor seemed to take on an illusory feel, like watching fire on an opposite shore.

Listening to the faint din, like the sound of flowing water from a small river, Lawrence opened the door and entered.

Just as he was puzzling over why it was so bright in the room, he discovered that the wooden window was wide open.

It must have been to look at the letter that the window was opened, so that light from the outside could enter.

Lawrence had just thought to this point, when he suddenly detected that something was off.

Letter?

As soon as he walked into the room, his eyes met those of Horo, who held a letter under the light that shone in through the wooden window.

Horo’s eyes appeared frightened.

No, that wasn’t it.

Those were the eyes of one who had drifted back to her senses from a state of loss.

“You....”

Before Lawrence could even say, “know how to read,” the voice within his throat had already grown hoarse.

Horo’s lips quivered in fear, and soon after, her shoulders began trembling as well. Lawrence could tell that Horo was trying hard to gather strength in her slim fingers, which had become completely stiff, but the letter slipped out from between her fingers nevertheless.

Lawrence did not dare to move, out of fear that Horo, who had become as stiff as a snowman, would shatter into pieces if he were to make any motion.

The letter Horo had held in her hands was probably the one sent by Deanna.

If Horo had become like this because of what she read in the letter, then the possibilities were limited.

The word “Yoitsu” surfaced in Lawrence’s mind.

“You, what’s the matter?”

The utterance that came out was no different from Horo’s usual tone. Despite appearing dangerously like she was on the verge of a breakdown or even on the brink of losing consciousness, a very disharmonious light smile appeared on her face as she spoke, which made Lawrence feel as if he had sunken into a dream.

“Is there something...stu...stuck to my face?”

Even though Horo did her best to speak with a smile, in the end, her twitching lips rendered it impossible for her to speak normally.

Despite Lawrence and Horo being eye to eye with one another, Horo’s eyes had long since lost focus.

“There’s nothing stuck to your face. But, you might be a bit drunk.”

Lawrence could not continue standing silently before Horo, so he chose to speak without using any words that might upset Horo even further.

What should be said next? No, he should first figure out what Horo had found out. Just as Lawrence had thought to this point, Horo spoke first:

“Yea...yea, I...I am drunk. That is how it is....yea, I must be drunk.”

Horo said this with a smile, but due to her trembling, her teeth were chattering as well. She walked up to her bed in a very unnatural manner and sat down.

As Horo moved, Lawrence was finally able to move away from the doorway as well. In order not to let the frightened bird fly away, Lawrence moved very cautiously, and with great effort managed to make his way to the desk.

Lawrence placed the two cold melons on the desk, and casually directed his gaze toward the letter Horo had dropped.

Under the moonlight, Deanna’s beautiful handwriting appeared.

Concerning what I mentioned to you yesterday, the town of Yoitsu that has been destroyed since ancient times...

As this description reached his eyes, Lawrence could not help closing them.

Surely it was because Horo had planned to surprise Lawrence in the future or play some trick on him that she said she could not read. Horo, who had said this in a mischievous spirit, did not expect her chance to arrive so soon and thus read the letter that Lawrence had left behind.

But such a mischievous spirit ended up bringing the opposite effect.

Horo must have been extremely concerned over the content of a letter containing information related to Yoitsu.

The image of an overjoyed Horo impatiently opening the letter surfaced in Lawrence’s mind.

And then, the words indicating that Yoitsu was already annihilated had suddenly appeared before her eyes. Lawrence simply could not imagine how much of a blow this would have been for Horo.

Horo was still sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at the floor in a complete state of loss.

Just as Lawrence was struggling to come up with something to say to her, Horo lifted her face slowly and spoke:

“You, what should I do?”

A stiff smile had surfaced on her lips.

“I....no longer have a home to return to....”

Horo neither blinked, nor choked with sobs. Only a steady stream of tears flowed from her eyes like blood.

“What should I do...,”

Horo kept saying, like a child who had accidentally smashed something important. It made Lawrence’s heart ache, to see her this way. People always became like a child when they reminisced on their hometowns.

Horo was, after all, the wise wolf who had lived for many centuries. Surely she had thought of the possibility that Yoitsu was already buried beneath the river of time.

Yet, just like a child not comprehending reason, in the face of incredibly strong emotions, reason made little difference.

“Horo.”

Hearing Lawrence call her name, Horo recoiled momentarily in surprise before returning to her senses.

“This is an old legend after all. A lot of old legends are inaccurate.”

In order to make his words sound convincing, Lawrence spoke in an admonishing tone. Concerning the possibility of the legend of Yoitsu’s destruction being false, it was probably extremely low, because towns that were able to endure many centuries without being destroyed were typically large towns known to everyone.

Yet, Lawrence simply could not find anything else to say.

“In...accurate?”

“Yes. Like when a new king or clan begins its reign over a region, in order to mark the region as new territory, rumors like this are frequently spread.”

Lawrence was not lying. He had heard several instances of this.

Yet, Horo suddenly shook her head, her tears streaming left and right along her cheeks.

Within her eyes was brewing the calm before the tempest.

“If that were the case, why did you hide the truth from me?” she questioned.

“I was trying to find the right opportunity to tell you. This topic is just too sensitive, so-”

“Heh.”

Horo gave a cough-like laugh.

Lawrence felt as if Horo had been possessed by some kind of demon.

“You...you must have been so happy watching me being carefree and having a good time under a state of complete ignorance.”

In that moment, Lawrence’s mind went completely blank. Of course, Lawrence could not possibly have felt that way. He did not understand why Horo would say such a thing, and a sense of anger surged up from within, seizing his throat.

However, Lawrence managed with great effort to control his temper.

Because Lawrence realized that Horo just wanted to vent her emotions, whether the target of injury was himself or anything else.

“Horo, calm down.”

“I...I am very calm. Is my mind not turning very quickly? You knew about Yoitsu’s legend all along, did you not?”

Having Horo suddenly hit his exact thoughts like this, Lawrence was left speechless.

Lawrence of course understood that hiding the truth from Horo was his fatal mistake.

“Indeed, yes indeed. You already knew the truth when you met me, did you not? If that is so, then it explains a lot of things.”

Horo’s expression had changed, appearing like a cornered wolf with no way out.

“Heheh, after all, you....you like weak, pitiable lambs. How does it feel watching me talk about going back to an already-destroyed hometown, being totally ignorant of reality? You must think me cute in my foolishness. So pitiable that it pains your heart, does it not? Even when I am stubborn, you would want to forgive me, and then treat me kindly, is it not so?”

Though Lawrence wanted to speak, Horo continued to say:

“That you would tell me to go back from Nooshira by myself was also because you had grown tired of me, was it not?”

Horo revealed a smile of one who had thrown away everything. Even Horo herself must have understood that the words she uttered were full of malevolence and distortion of facts.

Lawrence felt that, if he were to lose his temper and strike her face, Horo would surely wag her tail happily (note: I don’t really understand why this would be, but that’s what the text says. My best guess is that Lawrence striking Horo would be a sign to her that he actually cared and was offended by what she was saying).

“Is that really what you think?”

Hearing Lawrence strike her with his words, Horo’s fiery eyes stared directly at him.

“Yes I do!”

Horo had stood up and clenched her fists tightly. Her hands had already lost their color, and were shaking uncontrollably.

The sharp teeth that Horo had revealed made clashing sounds, and her tail was completely swollen.

Even so, Lawrence did not shrink back, because he knew that Horo’s wrath stemmed from an overwhelming sadness.

“That is exactly what I think! You are a human! Humans are the only existence that raises animals! Therefore, you used Yoitsu as bait to test my reaction, surely you must have enjoyed watching-”

“Horo.”

Horo had completely lost her sense of reason and was swinging her arms about wildly. Lawrence rushed towards her in a breath’s time and seized her arms with all his might.

Horo appeared frightened like a captured stray dog. The strength of her angry resistance was as feeble as her maiden appearance.

With Lawrence holding onto her arms with such force, it was obvious that Horo’s strength was no match for his.

Gradually, Horo stopped resisting. She changed her demeanor, looking to Lawrence with begging eyes as she spoke:

“I....I have become all alone. What...what...should I do? There is no longer anyone waiting for me to return, no one anywhere...I...have become all alone....”

“Don’t you have me?”

This was the unconcealed truth that had come from the bottom of Lawrence’s heart.

Moreover, such words were not something that could have been uttered casually.

Yet, a mocking smile surfaced on Horo’s face as she said unrestrainedly:

“What are you to me...no, what am I to you?”

“Uhm!”

Lawrence could not answer on the spot, and sank into contemplation.

Only a moment later did he suddenly realize that he should have answered immediately, even if it was to tell a lie.

“I do not want this! I do not want to be alone anymore!”

Horo screamed loudly, then ceased her movements.

“I say you, would you hold me?”

Lawrence almost loosened his grip on Horo’s arms.

Lawrence looked at Horo’s smiling face, which carried an intensely cold air. Horo was ridiculing her own loss of reason.

“I am already alone. But, if I were to have a child, that would make two. Look, I am human in appearance right now, so it would not be impossible to be together with you who are a human, would it? You....”

“Please, don’t say anymore.”

Lawrence could poignantly feel the overflowing emotions within Horo’s heart that had no means of escape save through blurting out venomous and cutting words.

Yet, Lawrence did not have such a great ability to maintain a mild attitude while waiting for Horo to calm down.

Therefore, that he was able to say this was already giving everything he had.

Horo’s smile grew deeper, and her tears welled over once again.

“Heheh...aha...hehehahaha, indeed. You are a softy after all. I will not place such hopes with you, but it matters not, I remember now. There is someone...yes, someone who loves me.”

Due to her arms being in Lawrence’s grip, Horo could not break free by making large movements, so in order to be able to free herself from Lawrence’s hands at any moment, Horo suddenly loosened her fists, which had been tightly clenched, and soon her body also lost its tenseness. As soon as Lawrence released her arms, Horo spoke feebly like an injured butterfly:

“This is also the reason why that affair did not bother you at all, is it not? You must be thinking that if you should really be able to receive a thousand silver coins, letting go would not be such a big deal, is it not so?”

Lawrence understood that anything he said under the current situation would be meaningless, so he could only listen silently.

Horo herself became silent as well, as if the last bit of fuel had been burned out.

After that, the silence continued for a good while. Just as Lawrence was about to reach out his hand again, Horo opened her mouth and spoke with a faint voice:

“.....Sorry.”

Slam! The deep noise flowed into Lawrence’s ears. At that moment, Horo had forcefully shut the door to her heart.

Lawrence’s body was paralyzed, and he was at best able to step back.

Horo sat down, gazing at the floor without moving.

Lawrence, who had retreated a few steps, could not even manage to stand quietly for one second. He immediately picked up the letter from Deanna that Horo had dropped, his gaze hastily following the words as if running away.

In the letter, Deanna wrote that she knew a cenobite who specially collected Northern myths and who lived in a village along the path to the town of Renose, which Horo had visited. She suggested that Lawrence pay him a visit. On the back of the letter was written the name of the cenobite.

Lawrence closed his eyes, his heart filled with regret.

If he had just read the letter earlier – Lawrence could not help thinking.

Although Lawrence was suddenly filled with the urge to tear the letter to pieces, he of course knew that such behavior would only be allowing his temper to get the best of him.

This letter was an important clue to finding Yoitsu.

Lawrence could not help thinking that this letter was the thin thread that would allow him to maintain his weak link with Horo, and so he folded the letter and placed it in his bosom.

Then, Lawrence looked to Horo again, but she was still unwilling to lift her face and look at him.

The word “Sorry” she had uttered when Lawrence was about to reach out his hand rang in his ears once again.

There was only one thing left for Lawrence to do, and that was to leave the room in silence.

And so Lawrence took a step back, then a second.

At that moment, a loud cheer came in through the window, and Lawrence took the opportunity to turn around and exit the room.

Even though for just one instant, Lawrence felt as if Horo had lifted her face, he told himself that it must have been an illusion brought about by wishful thinking.

As soon as he closed the door with his back to it, he covered his eyes, as if to say that he did not wish to see anything.

Even so, all of this would not simply go away.

He needed to come up with a solution.

Even though Lawrence knew that he needed to solve the problem somehow, he could not help asking himself: “Just what should I do?”

Lawrence walked out of the inn.

And made his way into the stranger-filled town.

---

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